The manicured lawns and overstuffed garbage cans of suburbia become a buffet for woodland creatures in Over the Hedge. A self-centered raccoon named RJ (voiced by Bruce Willis, Die Hard) steals and accidentally destroys th... more &raquoe hoard of an angry bear (Nick Nolte, 48 Hours), who gives the raccoon a week to replace it. RJ despairs--until he meets an odd gang of foragers, ranging from a turtle named Verne (Garry Shandling, The Larry Sanders Show), a father/daughter duo of opossums (the bizarre pairing of William Shatner and pop singer Avril Lavigne), a family of porcupines (with A Mighty Wind's Eugene Levy and Catherine O'Hara as the parents), and a hyperactive squirrel named Hammy (Steve Carell, The 40 Year Old Virgin). By convincing these friendly beasts that the suburban homesteads on the other side of a recently erected hedge are a mother-lode of cast-off food, RJ hopes to dupe them into doing his gathering. But when the suburban residents realize they've been invaded by woodland pests, an exterminator is called to take care of the problem. The overarching storyline of Over the Hedge is pure formula--your basic "family matters more than anything" lesson--but moment to moment, the movie is delightfully crisp and clever. The animation is topnotch, the acting is excellent (other voices include those of Allison Janney, The West Wing, and Thomas Haden Church, Sideways), and the satirical jabs at consumerism are actually funny. An above-average animated movie. --Bret Fetzer Stills from Over the Hedge (click for larger image)&laquo less

Movie Reviews

Just For Fun...

D. S. Thurlow | Alaska | 08/09/2010

(4 out of 5 stars)

"2006's animated dramatization of the newspaper cartoon strip "Over The Hedge" perfectly captures its fun and its subtle philosophizing, as brought to life by the voices of an outstanding cast and by the animators who brought you the "Shreck" series.

The basic plot is simple. RJ the Raccoon (voiced by Bruce Willis) owes a pile of people snacks to an angry bear; he cons Verne the Turtle (Gerry Shandling), Hammy the Squirrel (Steve Carrell) and their animal posse into an extended raid into suburban kitchens and patio cookouts to make good. The hysterical action only gets better when the put-upon suburbanites call in an exterminator. RJ will face a final crisis of conscience when his debt to the bear comes due.

The animation is first-rate and the pacing is frantic, funny, and true to the comic strip. The occassional jibe at human consumerism will help keep adults engaged in the story. "Over The Hedge" is good fun entertainment and highly recommended."